FIFA president Sepp Blatter: ‘I was between angels and the devil’

FIFA boss Sepp Blatter has spoken about his recent near-death experience, likening it to a competition between angels and the devil. The 79-year-old was admitted to hospital in early November, weeks after FIFA’s ethics committee launched an investigation into his conduct and that of his former protege, European football boss Michel Platini. He spent six days in hospital with a stress-related illness, which he said saw him “close to dying”. Blatter is serving a 90-day ban from FIFA after almost 18 years as head of the world’s football body, while he is investigated for possible corruption.

I was between the angels who were singing and the devil who was lighting the fire - but it was the angels who sang.

Sepp Blatter

In his first public comments since emerging from treatments Blatter told Swiss broadcaster RTS: “The pressure was enormous. At some stage the body just says 'no - enough is enough’. But if you are strong psychologically, you can resist.” Swiss prosecutors are investigating whether Blatter stayed within the law when he made a $2m (£1.35m) payment to European football chief Michel Platini. The payment was allegedly made four years ago but Blatter insists he did nothing wrong and he told the Swiss interview that Platini, who is also serving a 90-day ban, is an “honest man”. Despite the ban, Platini is still running to succeed Blatter as FIFA president in February’s elections and Blatter said the Frenchman would make a good leader for the scandal-hit organisation.